>From: "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...> > >Elizabeth and Vocalisters: > >How about an acting concept that is not particularly related to ones >own needs or neuroses? That is, an acting concept that is based on >skill and the learning of that skill and less based on one's "being". >
Lloyd, I resent you labeling me a neurotic method actor! :-P I found that the Independent Eye workshop I took (which emphasized improvisational theater games and story-telling) helped me a lot more than the half-baked Method that I learned in college. And I found that my acting was much more free, confident and (I hope) natural once I stopped being so damn neurotic. (The little green pills help.) :-D
As Dr. Diane remarked in her wise post, donning the costume and the makeup are a big part in my performance; the physical transformation helps with the inner emotional transformation. Making myself up as the Old Lady in "Candide" was practically like meditation. More recently, when the executive director of the "Butterfly" company took pity on us on a hot day and said we didn't have to wear makeup for the final dress at Villa Montalvo, I found I had to put on the black eyebrow pencil and eye-liner, just so I'd feel right.
Incidentally, one interesting tidbit I learned in Theater History class was the adjective applied to every single one of the great actors, from Thespis to Gielgud: "natural." No matter what style of acting was in vogue at the time, the wildly popular star or respected artist was honored with the compliment, "natural." Suggests that there's something going on in the heart, as well as in the face hands and voice.
Elizabeth Finkler half-baked and only slightly neurotic music theater actor http://home.earthlink.net/~mightymezzo/ mightymezzo@h...
I think gasoline should cost 49 cents a gallon. No, darn it, make that 29 cents a gallon! Also the gas-station attendants should pump it for you. And when you get home, you should be able to watch Milton Berle on your Philco TV. --Dave Barry
________________________________________________________________________
|